Electric switches for operating a windshield wiper and washer system of a motor vehicle are known. In such electronic switches the different operational stages windshield wiper system can be switched on by swiveling the switching member mounted in the switch housing around a first axis from a neutral position into one of several operational positions by the switch lever. The neutral position and the operational positions of the switching member are combined under the generic term "switching positions".
In each of the switching positions of the switching member and of the switch lever, defined with respect to the first axis, the switch lever, can be swiveled with respect to the switching member around a second axis so that the windshield washer system of the motor vehicle is positioned to spray water onto the windshield. There are electric switches in which the switch lever, when swiveled around the second axis, directly acts upon a bridging contact movably held in the switch housing. Depending upon its position with respect to the first axis, the switch lever acts upon this bridging contact so that the switching conditions differ depending on the position of the switch lever. In other known electric switches an additional thrust piece which can be moved straight on is inserted between the switch lever and the movable bridging contact. The position of which thrust piece is not affected by swiveling the switch lever and the switching member around the first axis; the thrust piece acts upon the movable bridging contact in the same way each regardless of the position of the switch lever. However, as an additional component, the thrust piece increases manufacturing and assembling costs.